UNITED NATIONS (Agencies) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council Sunday that the bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites by the United States marks a “perilous turn”, warning that the region cannot endure yet another “cycle of destruction.”
The UN chief said there must be an immediate ceasefire and returned to “serious, sustained negotiations.”
"The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation," he told the 15-member Council which is discussing U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the middle East.
Diplomats said the three countries have circulated the draft text, but whether it will be voted today remains to be seen.
In his remarks, the secretary-general called for diplomacy to prevail, saying Civilians must be protected, and that safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed.
"We need a credible, comprehensive and verifiable solution – one that restores trust – including with full access to inspectors of the IAEA, as the United Nations technical authority in this field," he added.
“At this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to assess the underground damage at Fordow,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
“Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with great consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked,” he said, reiterating his calls for maximum restraint and a return to diplomacy.
“Let us now allow the window to close on diplomacy; let us not allow the non-proliferation regime to fail, irrespective of individual positions and views. We will not be safer if there are more nuclear weapons in most in more States around the world.”
UN CHIEF CALLS FOR HALTING FIGHTING
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a “perilous turn in a region that is already reeling.”
“From the outset of the crisis, I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the middle East. The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation,” he said in his remarks before the Emergency Meeting held by the Security Council.
“To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail. Civilians must be protected. Safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed. We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme,” he added.
He stressed on the need to “a credible, comprehensive and verifiable solution – one that restores trust – including with full access to inspectors of the IAEA, as the United Nations technical authority in this field.
He described he Non-Proliferation Treaty as a cornerstone of international peace and security. “Iran must fully respect it. And all Member States must act in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law, including international humanitarian law.”
The United Nations, he said, “stands ready to support any and all efforts toward a peaceful resolution. But peace cannot be imposed – it must be chosen.”
“We face a stark choice. One path leads to wider war, deeper human suffering, and serious damage to the international order. The other leads to de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue. We know which path is right.”
He urged the Council and all Member States “to act with reason, restraint, and urgency. We cannot – and must not – give up on peace.”